- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Cost: Moderate
- Favorited: 19 Times
Recipe
Stuffing a pork loin requires a little patience, but the results can be beautiful and show how a few simple ingredients—onion, rosemary, and bacon—can be sublime when combined. Try to find naturally raised pork such as that from Niman Ranch (www.nimanranch.com) for the best flavor. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they’re a real treat. Wilted Greens, such as escarole or rapini, tossed with olive oil makes a quick and tasty side dish.
Ingredients
- ½ pound slab bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 medium onions, cut into 1-inch dice
- 2 cups 1-inch cubes crustless day-old French bread
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
- 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and finely chopped
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves removed and finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or chicken broth, if necessary
- 1 center-cut boneless pork loin roast (about 4 pounds)
Directions
Place the bacon and onions in a roasting pan and roast, stirring once or twice, until the onions are slightly golden and the bacon is semi-crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer the onions and bacon, with all the drippings, to a bowl and set the pan aside. (Leave the oven on.) Add the bread cubes, garlic, rosemary, and parsley to the bowl and season with salt and pepper. You may need to moisten the mixture with a little olive oil or a splash of chicken broth. Let cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the pork: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Insert a sharp boning knife or other long thin knife into the center of one end of the roast and turn it in a circular motion to create a hole. Then insert a clean sharpening steel or the handle of a wooden spoon and push against the meat to create a larger space in the center of the pork loin. Continue until you’ve created a 1½-inch-diameter tunnel all the way through the pork.
Place the stuffing in a pastry bag without a tip and pipe the stuffing into the pork loin. Tie the pork loin into an even roll with kitchen twine. Season with salt and pepper and place in the roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes.
Turn the oven down to 325°F and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145° to 150°F on an instant-read thermometer. Allow the pork to rest on a rack set over a platter for 5 or 10 minutes.
Slice the pork 1 inch thick and arrange a couple of slices on each plate.
Notes
To Drink: Rioja Gran Reserva, Marqués de Murrieta Barbera d’Asti, Coppo
© 2004 Frank Stitt
Nutritional Information
Nutritional information is based on 1/8 teaspoon added salt per serving, and uses chicken broth instead of olive oil if necessary.






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